Advertising sign



Sept; 21, 1937. P. R. CONLEY 2,093,710

ADVERTISING SIGN Filed May 11, 1936 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 21, 1937 U NETED ST S T .FFIQE 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a sign and more especially to an animated sign.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a sign of this character, wherein images are arranged so that motion can be imparted thereto thus rendering the sign animated and in this fashion enabling the advertising of commodities having definite particularities, the sign being of novel construction so as to lend attractiveness thereto due to the animated characteristic of the same.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a sign of this character, wherein the animated images are related to certain commodities showing the use thereof by motion imparted to said images thus giving realistic characteristics to the sign to have the same more noticeable under display and thus enabling commodities to be advertised through the use of such 2 sign.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a sign of this character, wherein the animated characteristic of the images gives life thereto and such motion for the animation of such images is imparted through the instrumentality of air currents and driving mechanism.

; A still further object of the invention is the provision of a sign of this character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in its operation, attractive in appearance, assuring increased attention through the animated characteristics thereof, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a sign constructed in accordance with the invention showing air currents delivered from an electrio fan for animation of such sign.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the sign.

Figure 3 is an enlarged rear elevation of one of the images of said sign.

Figure 4 is an elevation showing a modification of the sign.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally a portion of an upright or post having at its upper end a rest piece It upon which is placed the sign constituting the present invention and hereinafter fully described.

This sign comprises a panel, board or plate H having formed at its lowermost horizontal edge 5 a trough or housing l2 which protrudes forwardly from the front face of such panel, board or plate and is open at its uppermost portion. The top edge E3 of the front piece Hi of this trough or housing I2 is indicative of a floor line while the 10 panel, board or plate H at its front face is suitably decorated to be indicative of a vertical wall of an enclosure while at E5 and. I6 are representations of pictures, respectively, hung upon said wall. 15

Fastened in any suitable manner to the front piece M of the trough l2 are images H and. E8, respectively, while adjacent to the image ll and fixed to the said piece M is the representation of a Wash tub bench l9 supporting the repre- 20 sentation of a wash tub 20, the image i! being equipped with a swinging body 2| and an arm 22, respectively, the body being pivoted at 23 while the arm is pivoted at 24. The arm 22 in its arrangement is disposed over a wash board 25 representation 25 as held within the tub representation 20 so that such image IT has the appearance of one washing clothes.

The image 98 has pivoted thereto a rocker 26, it being formed with arm extensions 27, these be- 30 ing disposed forwardly of the image and has the hand representations 28 gripping the stick 29 of a sweeping broom 3B. The rocker 26 is pivoted at 3;! at the rear of said image l8 and when motion is imparted thereto the broom 30 will be 35 oscillated and in the disposition thereof have the appearance of sweeping a floor.

Journaled in the trough l2 in bearings 32 and 33, respectively, is a turning shaft 34 having the cranks 35 and 36, respectively. This shaft at one end extends outside of the trough l2 and is fitted with a fan wheel 37 which is adapted to be rotated under air currents 38 delivered from the fan wheel 39 of an electric fan 40, the latter being supported in any suitable manner for deliv- 45 ering air currents to the fan Wheel 31 so that the shaft 34 will be driven. Connected to the cranks 35 and 36 .are the respective actuator links 4| and 42. The link M is pivoted to the swinging body 2| of the image ll while the link 42 is pivoted to the rocker 26 so that on the turning of the shaft 34 these links will operate for giving animation to the said images for the purposes of advertising determined commodities in the use. of the animated sign. 55

In Figure 4 of the drawing there is shown a slight modification of sign wherein in substitute for the images I! and I8 there are images 43 and 44, respectively, the image 43 being indicative of a man seated in a rocking chair and this image is pivoted at 45 having the link 46 pivoted thereto and operated from the turning shaft 41. The image 44 has a swinging body 48 pivoted at 49 and to which is pivoted the link 50 which is operated from the shaft 41, the image 44 being indicative of a human being having a certain posture. These images 43 and 44 when actuated will impart animation to the Sign and may be indicative of advertised merchandise.

While it has been stated that the sign is preferably operated through the use of an electric fan, it is to be understood that such sign may be operated directly from a motor, preferably of the electric type. This sign may be operated from any other source of power.

It is also to be understood that by the substitution of different characters of images in lieu of those heretofore described in detail, it will be necessary to alter the crank shafts so that their cranks will be of variable length corresponding to the stroke of the stroke rods or actuating links for the successful working of the sign.

What is claimed is:

A sign of the character described comprising a board-like flat faced panel having a decorative outer surface, a front piece spaced parallel forwardly of said panel at the lowermost edge thereof and extending vertically for a distance with respect to the decorative surface, movable images rising from the top edge of said front piece, a, rotatable shaft journaled between the panel and said front piece and having cranks, one end of the shaft being extended beyond the panel, a wind wheel fixed to the extended end of said shaft, and links connected with the cranks and with said images for imparting motion thereto in a plane parallel with the plane of the decorative surface of said panel.

PHILIP R. CONLEY. 

